STAR Sleepout Nottingham

Tens and thousands of people who have fled war, torture and political oppression are destitute or living in extreme poverty in Britain without enough to meet their essential living needs of food, clothing and health.

This is a result of current policy which leaves asylum seekers with inadequate support or completely destitute, and prohibits them from working to support themselves. They have come to this country seeking safety, but are forced to rely on family, friends and charities to survive.

In recent years, thousands of refused asylum seekers have been forced into destitution due to policies which leave them in state of limbo, without status and unable to return home. The support available to all asylum seekers has also been rapidly decreased, meaning that even those who are supported by the state are living in poor housing and in
extreme poverty – most on around just £5 day.

So STAR (Student Action for Refugees) are holding a sleepout to raise awareness of these issues and to try and lobby our MP to sign the ‘Right to work pledge’. It will be cold, BUT we think this makes an ever bigger statement, if it’s cold for us on one night, it’s impossible for refused asylum seekers, who are left destitute with little support and without the right to work, to achieve a basic standard of living. We will have games and music, so it should hopefully be quite fun, you can come for a few hours or if you’re brave enough, the whole night!

We are attempting to get the local press and MP’s to attend, so the more of us that are there, the greater impact we will have!